Mobile shelf for refrigerators and freezers

ABSTRACT

A mobile shelf is horizontal and displaceably mounted in rails fixed to the cabinet of refrigerator or freezer, inwardly to a refrigerator chamber. The shelf comprises an actuator device operatively associated to the shelf and cabinet. The actuator device is driven to an inoperative armed position, achieved when the shelf is displaced backwards, to a retracted position, and an operative distended position, in which the shelf is displaced forward, to a forward position. The actuator device is actuated, from the inoperative armed position to an operative distended position, when applying a manual instantaneous axial force backwards, against the shelf.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention refers to a new construction applied to mobileshelf for refrigerators and freezers of the type that comprises acabinet defining inwardly at least a refrigeration chamber provided witha access anterior opening closed by respective door, wherein said shelfis displaceable horizontally between a retracted position and a forwardposition, and back to the retracted position, by user specific actuationwithout requiring the latter to exert, on the shelf, a continuoustensile force to produce its displacement between the retracted positionand the forward position. The invention is particularly useful whenapplied to mobile shelves, built as usual drawers provided inside therefrigeration chamber of a refrigerator or freezer, to define asubchamber, someway apart from the rest of the refrigeration chamber andwhich access is only achieved with a linear displacement of said shelffrom a retracted position to a forward position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is well known in the art simple or drawer shaped shelves assembledinside a respective refrigeration chamber, to be displaced between aretracted position, in which access to said shelves or drawers isrestricted or even impossible, and a forward position, in which useraccess to shelves or drawers is facilitated. Despite of drawers andshelves constructions linearly displaceable between a retracted positionand a forward position are well known in the art, they require the userexert, with at least one of his hands, a tensile effort to displace theshelf or drawer from the retracted position to the forward position, tothen remove or put some product in the surrounding defined by said shelfor drawer. Even though this manual tensile effort upon the shelf ordrawer is usually small, it requires that the user has at least one ofhis/her hands free so he/she can exert this tensile force to displacethe shelf or drawer, from retracted position to forward position to,then, accomplish the products load and unload operations relative to thedisplaced element.

It occurs that, in many occasions, mainly in those of products loadinginside the refrigeration chamber, the user has his/her two hands busy tohold the product or vessel that contains the product to be stored, whichmakes it notably difficult to do the shelf or drawer displacementoperation to the forward position, in which the user can place theproduct to be refrigerated on the shelf, with greater easiness, orinside the drawer, that if held in the retracted position, usually makesit unfeasible products load and unload operations relative to inside.The need of the user exerting, with one of his hands, a tensile forceupon the shelf or drawer to displace it to the forward position, is ashortcoming of said elements operation, which shortcoming leads to akind of discomfort in refrigerators and freezers appliances operation,making it desirable to provide a solution that results in a greatereasiness or practicability of products loading and unloading operationsin relation to those mobile shelves or drawers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above-mentioned shortcoming, it becomes an object of thepresent invention to provide a mobile shelf, that can resemble to adrawer, to be mounted inside refrigerators and freezers of the typeherein considered, and that can be easy and quickly displaced from aretracted position to a forward position, making it easier productsloading and unloading, without requiring a manual tensile forceactuation by the user.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide amobile shelf or drawer as above-mentioned and that has a simple androbust construction and that still allows accomplish, during the mobileshelf or drawer displacement from retracted position to forwardposition, the displacement of a front lid between a closed position,blocking the anterior access to shelf or drawer top region, and an openposition, in which the shelf or drawer access is released.

Considering a refrigerator or freezer of the above-mentioned type, thatis, of front door in each inner refrigeration chamber, the mobile shelfof the invention comprises an actuator device having a tubular bodyfixed to one of the parts of the shelf and cabinet and from whichprojects, axially, an impeller rod having a free end to be kept seatedagainst other of said parts in a inoperative armed position of theactuator device, achieved when the shelf is displaced backwards, to aretracted position, and yet in a operative distended position ofactuator device, in which the shelf is displaced forward, to a forwardposition.

The actuator device of the invention is actuated from inoperative armedposition to a operative distended position, when applying a backwardsaxial instantaneous manual force against the shelf, in its retractedposition and the actuator device being conducted, from operativedistended position to an armed position, by manual displacement of theshelf, from forward position to a retracted position.

The proposed construction of present invention allows that the actuatordevice displaces the shelf or drawer from retracted position to forwardposition when user applies, against the still in retracted positionshelf, a backwards instantaneous axial force, which force is capable oftriggering the actuator device, that, once distended, causes desireddisplacement of mobile shelf or drawer to the forward position. When themobile shelf or drawer is at the forward position and once the user hasstored the product to be refrigerated, he usually gets one or both handsavailable to apply a return axial force to the mobile shelf or drawer tothe retracted position, causing also that the actuator device bedisarmed, to a new displacement operation of mobile shelf or drawer tothe forward position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in the following with reference to theattached drawings, given as example of an embodiment of the inventionand wherein:

FIG. 1 represents a anterior lower perspective view of a refrigerator orfreezer cabinet provided with a single refrigeration chamber havingaccess anterior opening and housing two mobile shelves, indrawer-shaped, built according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 represents a perspective view of mobile shelf, in drawer-shaped,illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 represents an enlarged perspective view of the inner region ofrefrigeration chamber in which the mobile shelf in drawer-shaped isslidably mounted;

FIG. 4 represents an enlarged perspective view similar to that of FIG.3, but illustrating two mobile shelves, in drawer-shaped, in theirretracted position, with front lid closed;

FIG. 5 illustrates a similar view as that of FIG. 4, but illustratingone of the two mobile shelves, in drawer-shaped, somewhat displacedforward, toward forward position and in which frontal lid is taken to aintervening opening position, whereas the other shelf, in drawer-shaped,is at the retracted position;

FIG. 6 represents an enlarged cross sectional view of one of the mobileshelves in drawer-shaped at the retracted position illustrated in FIG.4;

FIG. 7 represents a cross sectional view similar to that of FIG. 6, butillustrating the mobile shelf. in a position somewhat displaced forward,toward a forward position, such as illustrated in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 8 represents an enlarged and cross sectional lower perspective viewof the two mobile shelves in drawer-shaped, illustrated in previousfigures and mounted inside the refrigeration chamber.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As illustrated and already previously mentioned, the concerned mobileshelf is used in refrigerators and freezers of the type that comprises acabinet 10, made of well known means of the art and defining, inwardly,at least one refrigeration chamber 11 provided with an access anterioropening 12 that is closed by a front door not illustrated in the presentpatent application for not being part of the proposed development.

The refrigeration chamber 11, of cabinet 10, has inner side walls 13made so as to incorporate, in single piece or in separated pieces andprecisely affixed thereto, rails 14 disposed longitudinally in only onesection or in a plurality of horizontally aligned sections and in aorthogonal direction to the plane of access anterior opening 13. In theconstruction illustrated herein as an example, one of the inner sidewalls 12 of the cabinet 10 incorporates, in single piece, a rail 14defined by a deformation of the own inner side wall 13 of cabinet 10,said rail 14 having a cross section that is substantially rectangularand protruding to inside the refrigeration chamber 11, from inner sidewall 13 of cabinet 10.

In the embodiment construction illustrated in the drawings, two mobileshelves 20 are provided, each one having a width substantially lowerthan the total width of the refrigeration chamber 11, inside which theyare housed. In this case, the other rail of sliding side support of eachshelf 20 is not applied to opposite inner side wall 13, it beingnecessary to provide an inner support 30, usually fixed under a wall orupper divisor 15 of cabinet 10, which support, in the illustratedexample, is defined by a storage and dispenser device of beverage cans,of the type described and claimed in the patent application PI 0604040-3of the same applicant. In this case, the support 30 incorporates in eachone of its sides faced to the mounting region of adjoining shelf 20, arail 34 (see in particular FIG. 8), having a transversal section likethat of rail 14 incorporated, for instance in single piece, to theopposite inner side wall 13 of cabinet 10. The inner support 30 forbeverage cans will not be herein described in detail for not being partof the invention and for being already described in detail in saidprevious patent application, it should be understood that this supportcan have different constructive shapes since it can be used to carry arespective rail 34 along which a respective side of shelf 20 will beslidably supported.

As illustrated in the attached drawings, each shelf 20 comprises a basicplate 21 having side edges 21 a, opposed to each other, each of whichincorporating, outwardly, a guide follower 22 configured to beoperatively associated to a respective rail 14, 34 fixed to the cabinet10, inwardly to the refrigeration chamber 11. As already mentioned, oneof the rails 14 is incorporated, in single piece, to one of inner sidewalls 13 of cabinet 10, whereas the other rail 34 is incorporated insingle piece or otherwise fixed to the support 30 provided inwardly therefrigeration chamber 11. If only one shelf is provided having a widthcorresponding to the width of refrigeration chamber 11, there will betwo opposite rails 14 provided, each one fixed or incorporated in singlepiece to one respective inner side wall 13 of cabinet 10. Only one shelf20 can be yet provided, with reduced width, mounted between an innerside wall 13 of cabinet 10 and the support 30.

In the exemplified construction, each guide follower means 22 comprisesa longitudinal gutter 22 a with U-shaped cross section, laid and facedoutside, wherein inside each longitudinal gutter 22 a is slidably houseda respective rail 14, 34 as better illustrated in FIG. 8.

Although each shelf 20 can be defined only by basic plate 21, in theillustrated embodiment, it takes the shape of a drawer, incorporating,in each side edge 21 a, a side wall 23, protruding upward, in relationto the basic plate 21, wherein the two side walls 23 are later joined bya back wall 24. The side 23 and back 24 walls form, with the basic plate21, said mobile drawer that, in the illustrated example, does not carry,in its own body, a front lid.

In the illustrated embodiment, each shelf 20 still comprises a front lid40 that is superior and horizontally hinged to the cabinet 10, inwardlyto the refrigeration chamber 11, so as to be displaced to a closedposition, blocking anteriorly the shelf 20 in drawer shape, when this isin the retracted position; the front lid 40 being angularly displaced toan open position, unblocking the anterior access to shelf 20 in drawershape, when this is displaced to the forward position, wherein theangular displacement of front lid 40 to the open position is effected byactuation of at least one of the side walls 23 of the shelf 20.

In a possible construction, as per that one illustrated in the drawings,the front lid 40 is superior and horizontally hinged to the cabinet 10,so as to be gravitationally displaced to the closed position, in whichit stays substantially vertically, blocking anteriorly the shelf 20, thefront lid 40 being angularly displaced upwards, to the open position, inwhich it stays substantially horizontally, to unblock the anterioraccess to shelf 20. In this construction in which the front lid 40 issuperior and horizontally hinged to the cabinet 10, its upward angulardisplacement, to the open position, is effected by actuation of the twoside walls 23 of shelf 20, particularly of its front edges, against thefront lid 40, more particularly against two inner side projections 41 ofsaid front lid 40. In the illustrated construction, the front lid 40incorporates a pair of opposite side pins 42, just one of which isillustrated in FIG. 5, being one of them borne directly in one of innerside walls 13 of cabinet 10, whereas the other pin 42 is borne in innersupport 30.

Thus, when the shelf 20 is displaced forward, to the forward position,it causes by itself the angular displacement of front lid 40 to the openposition wherein with the shelf 20 return to the retracted position, thefront lid 40 returns to its closed position, wherein the front lid 40return to the closed position is done by gravity in the type of mountingillustrated in the drawings or even by actuation of a return elasticelement, such as a spring and that is not here illustrated to constantlyurge the front lid 40 against an anterior region of shelf 20, in whichsituation the front lid 40 could be hinged according to a vertical axis.

To obtain the operational practicability aimed by the present invention,the concerned mobile shelf still comprises an actuator device 50 havinga tubular body 51 fixed to one of the parts of the shelf 20 and cabinet10, wherein in the illustrated example the tubular body 51 is fixedunder the shelf 20, with its longitudinal axis orthogonal to the planeof access anterior opening 12 of refrigeration chamber 11.

The tubular body 51 carries and projects axially a impeller rod 55having a free end 55 a to be kept seated against the shelf 20 or againstthe cabinet 10, depending on the mounting of tubular body 51 wherein inthe illustrated example the free end 55 a of impeller rod 55 is keptseated against the cabinet 10, inwardly to the refrigeration chamber 11.

The free end 55 a of impeller rod 55 is kept seated against therespective part against which it actuates, when the actuator device 50is in an inoperative armed position, which is accomplished when theshelf 20 is displaced backwards, to its retracted position and also whenthe actuator device 50 is in an operative distended position, in whichit displaces the shelf 20 forward, to the forward position. The hereinconsidered actuator device is actuated or triggered from inoperativearmed position to an operative distended position when the user appliesmanual and instantaneously an axial force backwards against the shelf20, more specifically against an anterior edge of shelf 20, when this isat the retracted position. The actuator device 50 is driven fromoperative distended position to inoperative armed position by means ofmanual displacement of shelf 20, from forward position to retractedposition.

It should be herein understood that the actuator device 50 can havedifferent constructions, provided that it can be suitably fixed to oneof the parts of the shelf 20 and cabinet 10 and that has enough forcewhen triggered to produce displacement of shelf 20 without load or withload, from retracted position to forward position.

The particular constructive features of actuator device 50 are not heredescribed because they are not relevant to the arrangement of proposedmobile shelf by present invention, provided that the actuator device 50can operate as described, it should be observed that said device canhave different construction able to allow its use in differentapplications.

Despite of being here illustrated only one form of embodiment of presentinvention, it should be understood that changes of shape and arrangementof component elements can be made, without departing from theconstructive concept defined in the claims that accompany the presentspecification.

1-9. (canceled)
 10. A mobile shelf for refrigerators and freezersincluding a cabinet defining inwardly at least a refrigeration chamberprovided with a access anterior opening, said shelf being horizontal anddisplaceably mounted in rails fixed to the cabinet, inwardly to therefrigeration chamber, the shelf comprising: an actuator device having atubular body, fixed to one of the parts of shelf and cabinet, and fromwhich protrudes axially an impeller rod having a free end to be heldseated against the other of said parts in an inoperative armed positionof actuator device, accomplished when the shelf is displaced backwards,to a retracted position, and still in an operative distended position ofactuator device, in which it displaces the shelf forward, to a forwardposition, the actuator device being actuated, from inoperative armedposition to the operative distended position, when applying a manualinstantaneous axial force, backwards, against the shelf in its retractedposition.
 11. The mobile shelf of claim 10, wherein the actuator devicehas its tubular body fixed to the shelf and the free end of impeller rodseated against the cabinet, inwardly to the refrigeration chamber. 12.The mobile shelf of claim 10, further comprising: a basic plate havingside edges opposite each other, each one of them incorporating outwardlya guide follower operatively associated to a respective rail fixed tothe cabinet, inwardly to the refrigeration chamber.
 13. The mobile shelfof claim 12, wherein each guide follower includes a longitudinal gutterwith a U-shaped cross section, laid and faced outside, wherein in theinside of each longitudinal gutter is slidably housed a respective rail.14. The mobile shelf of claim 13, wherein at least one of the two railsis incorporated in single piece to the cabinet.
 15. The mobile shelf ofclaim 12, wherein the actuator device has its tubular body fixed underthe basic plate of shelf.
 16. The mobile shelf of claim 12, wherein thebasic plate includes, in each side edge, a side wall protruding upwardsin relation to the basic plate, wherein the two side walls are laterjoined by a back wall, said side and back walls forming, with the basicplate, a drawer-shaped shelf.
 17. The mobile shelf of claim 16, furthercomprising: a front lid hinged to the cabinet, inwardly to therefrigeration chamber, so as to be gravitationally displaced to a closedposition, blocking anteriorly the shelf in drawer-shape, when this is inthe retracted position; the front lid being angularly displaced to anopen position, unblocking the anterior access to shelf in drawer-shape,when this is displaced to the forward position, wherein the angulardisplacement of front lid to the open position is effected by actuationof at least one of the side walls of shelf.
 18. The mobile shelf ofclaim 17, wherein the front lid is superior and horizontally hinged tothe cabinet and gravitationally displaced to its closed position, inwhich it takes a substantially vertical positioning, wherein itsdisplacement to the open position is done in downward angular way toachieve a substantially horizontal positioning, wherein the upward anddownward angular displacement of front lid 40 is still effected,respectively, by actuation of the side walls of the shelf and by thegravity force upon front lid.